One Night
by Crazy Chick 74
Summary: This is a Joey/Lauren story with a bit of a twist. If you don't like this pairing, don't read. Just my thoughts on what might have been.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I finished writing my other EastEnders story (A Father's Love) and this idea sprang into my head and was really easy to write. I originally intended this to be a one-shot but by the time I'd finished it was a bit long to post as one chapter and there was a natural split in it. So here it is.****  
**

**One Night.**

**Chapter One.**

Lauren vividly remembered the night like it had been yesterday. However it wasn't yesterday, it wasn't even last week. The night she dreamt of so clearly each night was five months ago.

*JL*JL*

She'd walked into the club and smiled as she heard the loud music and felt the thud thud thud as the speakers reverberated the sound through her body. Walking up to the bar she saw the barman standing, serving drinks to a customer. She had to queue for a while to get her drink. Normally she'd be annoyed by this delay but today it was a blessing because it gave her time to run her eyes up and down his body and appreciate his beauty. To watch as his whole face lit up when he flirted with a customer. To see the amazing smile that took her breath away.

She took a step forward, one customer closer to the god behind the bar. She looked at the customers in front of her, both of them were women. She wasn't vain but she could clearly see she was the prettiest of them. The one currently being served stepped away and she moved forward again. Her heart was beginning to beat a bit faster now that she'd nearly reached him.

The girl in front of her was searching in her purse for money for her drink and the god looked up and caught her eye, smirking at her and winking quickly. The girl in front looked up and passed him the notes, her face flushed with embarrassment. He turned and put the money away in the till. The girl sidled off, looking vaguely disappointed and Lauren stepped forward, her body pulsing in excitement.

"What can I get you?" he asked her.

"Vodka and coke, please." She asked.

He smiled again, his face coming alive with that small movement of his mouth. Stepping away from her he got her a shot of vodka and then quickly poured some coke into it. He put the glass down in front of her, "Anything else?"

"A kiss would be nice..."

"I don't know if I'm in your price range." He said, smiling widely.

"I think you'll find I can afford you," She flirted with him openly.

"Maybe later..." he said, "I've got a break in a while."

"What time?"

He glanced at his watch, "About 45 minutes..." She reached over the bar and grabbed his wrist, glancing at his watch so she could see what the time was now. Touching his skin was like getting an electric shock, setting her whole body on fire.

"See you then." She smiled at him brightly, "How much do I owe you?"

"It's on the house." He said, winking at her again.

She felt her face heating and she blew him a kiss quickly, before grabbing her drink and moving away. Her journey wasn't very far, she stood at the end of the bar, watching him through her hair, seeing him glancing in her direction, smiling at her intermittently.

Time seemed to be passing slowly but just as she was finishing her drink he was striding in her direction. His head was bowed then he looked up and there was such intensity in his eyes that it made her hold her breath in anticipation. "Hi," she said softly, knowing he probably wouldn't be able to hear her.

He grabbed her hand in his, staring into her eyes. His other hand brushed her hair back from her face and then his lips were on hers, his tongue brushing against hers. She gripped the front of his shirt, her hands feeling the muscles hidden by the white cotton. She moaned slightly as the kiss deepened and felt him smile against her mouth. They pulled apart, staring at each other as they tried to catch their breath. "Did that meet your requirements?" he said, smirking at her.

"Not bad... Maybe you should run it by me again, just to make sure I caught all the finer details."

"I think I can manage that." He looked around them. "Come with me?" he asked her gently. She nodded. He almost lifted her in his arms, striding away from the bar, into a dark corner, hidden from view of everyone. She was so focused on him she didn't really notice their movement until she was being pressed into a wall behind her. His hands drifted to her hips and he pushed himself against her. She stood on tiptoes and wound her arms around his neck, her hands brushing into his hair as she pulled his head down to meet hers. Their mouths met and he fought her for dominance, the power of his kiss sweeping her away.

The minutes passed much quicker than she would've liked, their passion culminating in a high she wasn't sure she'd ever achieve again. She enjoyed the feeling of his hands on her skin, the sensation of his lips on her mouth and neck, the sheer power of each thrust of his hips against hers, the depth and tenderness in his eyes as they stared into hers.

"Wow," she breathed as they pulled apart and straightened their clothing.

"I take it that was okay then?" He smirked at her as he did up his jeans.

"God yes." She turned her head, suddenly feeling very self conscious. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons of his shirt until his hands covered them, ceasing all movement.

"I need to get back to work," he said, glancing at his watch. He kissed her again, taking his time with this kiss but showing no less emotion. "I wish I could stay but I can't afford to lose my job."

"It's okay. I need to get back to my friends anyway." He stepped away from her, just one step but it felt like a mile. "It was fun." She told him and winked at him. He smiled at her and then turned and went back to the bar.

*JL*JL*

Lauren had gone back to that bar a couple of times but never saw him again and she was gutted. It wasn't until he'd walked away that she realised she didn't even know his name and he didn't know hers either. It was such a silly mistake to make... but not her last.

*JL*JL*

She walked through her house, hoping she'd have managed to avoid her family but she was not that lucky as her mother was waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Do you know what time it is, Lauren?" she asked.

"I didn't sleep very well," she explained, glancing at the clock and seeing it was nearly eleven in the morning.

"Are you going out today? You haven't seen your friends in a while." Lauren shrugged in response to her mother's question, pouring herself a glass of milk and sipping it slowly. "Darling, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mum." She said, steadfastly staring at the surface of the table, ensuring she avoided the gaze of her mother's caring eyes. "I'm going to go and get dressed." She said, moving quickly out of view.

She stood with her back against her bedroom door, breathing deeply as she felt tears well in her eyes. She bit her lip and tried to push away the emotions that were coursing through her body. She took one more deep breath and then dressed quickly, choosing her favourite black and red stripy jumpy and jeans.

*JL*JL*

There was little for her to do other than go and see Lucy but she managed to pick a time when the shop was busy so she had to wait. Then she was witness to her uncle blackmailing her for money and she wished she'd stayed at home. They left the shop, the two of them talking about what had just happened.

She wasn't even aware of what was happening at first. She saw her uncle fall to the floor, clutching his face after a punch to the nose. His assailant turned round and her world tilted on its axis. She had to grab Lucy to stop herself from falling over.

It was _him_ and Lauren couldn't breathe. She wasn't even sure he remembered her. Then he spoke and she wished she'd never seen him again. He was her cousin. Oh God! He was flirting with Lucy and she backed away from them both, hoping to make a run for it. However she managed to trip over an empty cardboard box from a market stall and she fell to the floor.

Her cousin was the first person at her side and as he looked into her eyes she knew he recognised her. He helped her to her feet and she ran from them, tears streaming down her face that blurred her eyes.

*JL*JL*

Joey had been in the square for almost three months now and so far Lauren had avoided spending too much time with him. He knew who she was now and he'd tried to speak to her a few times but she'd managed to give him the slip at each attempt. As a result of this she barely left the house anymore, almost living the life of a recluse. Her friends had gradually stopped dropping round to speak to her. She was on her own.

*JL*JL*

"Lauren..." It was her father calling up the stairs to her. She sighed and leant over the banister so she could see him. "Are you coming?"

"What?"

"We're going out for the day. Didn't Abi tell you this morning?"

"No."

"Come on, hurry up."

"Can't I stay here?"

"Lauren, you never leave the house anymore. We're going to have a nice family day, the five of us."

"Dad, please?"

He stared at her for several seconds. He strode up the stairs and looked at his eldest daughter closer, "Are you okay, Lauren?" She nodded, her voice evading her at his question. He brushed her hair away from her face. "Okay. You can stay here but I want you to go out today. Get some fresh air, see your friends, do something."

"I will." She said, her automatic response a lie as she had no intention of doing as he'd asked.

"We won't be late." He said, kissing her on the forehead before descending down the stairs.

*JL*JL*

There as a knock on the door and Lauren peeped out of the front window to see who it was. Her heart sank when she saw it was Joey. She ignored him, hoping he wouldn't see she was there. He knocked again and she sat as still as she could.

"Lauren, I know you're in there." He called through the letterbox, "Don't you think we should talk about this? You can't keep avoiding me. I'm not going anywhere, Lauren."

Tears fell down her face, wanting nothing more than to open the door but knowing that she couldn't. Why can't he just leave her alone? "Leave me alone." She whispered, even though he wouldn't hear her. She brushed away the tears.

"I'm going to keep coming back, Lauren. I'll be back later." He called but then he was gone.

*JL*JL*

The house phone rang and Lauren picked up the handset from the table in front of her. "Hello?"

"Lauren, it's mum."

"Hi, mum. When are you due back? Do you want me to start getting dinner ready?"

"That's why I'm calling. We're staying overnight. Abi doesn't have college until tomorrow afternoon and Oscar's not got school either, it's a teacher training day."

"Oh, okay." Lauren said.

"Will you be okay on your own?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's only one night."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, darling."

"Have a nice night."

*JL*JL*

Lauren was watching TV when things started going wrong. She'd been feeling gradually more and more off colour as the day progressed but when her stomach began to cramp early in the evening she became scared. "No, no, no, no, no." She whispered, getting to her feet and walking to the kitchen. She got herself a glass of water and went to take a sip. The glass slipped from her hand and smashed to the floor as she gasped from the intense pain she was now experiencing.

She tried to stay as still as she could until the pain faded then slowly walked back towards the lounge, ignoring the mess she'd just made. She turned off the TV and lowered herself to the couch. She lay down, hoping she was just imagining what she thought it might be.

An hour later and she knew she wasn't imagining it. The pain was coming quicker now and she could no longer pretend she wasn't in labour. The most worrying thing for Lauren though was it was early. Far, far too early. Pain ricocheted through her again and she couldn't stop the cry she made as her body adjusted itself for motherhood.

She wasn't ready for this. She'd been running from this ever since she'd realised she was pregnant. She hadn't wanted to accept it when she first found out because it left her disappointed as she wasn't able to share it with the person she wanted to.

Then the day had arrived that changed everything. The day she saw the father of her child for the first time in five months. The person she was desperate to tell. She'd wanted to tell him when she originally found out, had tried to find him on more than one occasion but now she could never tell him. She could never admit that her cousin, the son of her uncle was the father of her child. She felt sick every time she thought about it.

The door rattled again and she froze. "Lauren?"

A painful contraction hit her as she heard his voice and she cried out in agony. She turned her head towards the front door, listening to see if he'd heard her. There was silence and she shifted her focus back to her tired body as the pain once again intensified.

She knew there was no ignoring this now... but she was also realistic enough to know she'd left it too long to get any help because the contractions were too close together and she could hardly move. She was on her own and she was very scared by that prospect.

She pulled off her jeans and underwear, leaving her lower half naked and then edged herself off the couch, kneeling in front of it and leaning forward, trying to get some relief from the near-constant pain. Tears streamed down her face when another contraction hit hard.

She had no idea what she was doing but her natural instincts seemed to take over, telling her it was time to start pushing. But God, it really hurt and again she cried out, her hands clawing at the couch. She released a small gasp and a groan as the contraction ended.

"Lauren?" His voice was much closer this time and she thought she'd imagined it as she tried to calm her breathing. It was only when she felt his hand on her back, creeping beneath the baggy sweater and T-shirt she was still wearing and caressing her lower back that she knew he was there. She turned her head, knowing she looked a mess but way beyond the point of caring and found herself looking at his beautiful face.

"Joey..." she cried. Huge tears ran down her already damp face. Another contraction hit and she began to push again, his hand rubbing her back giving her the strength she needed. "I so sorry..." she whispered as her eyes met his again. His other hand reached for one of hers, grasping it firmly.

"I didn't realise..." He said softly.

"No one knows." She whispered.

"Not Max or Tanya?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I was trying to pretend it wasn't happening." She said, laughing slightly although it sounded more like a sob. "I looked for you at the club. You were never there."

"I had to leave." He looked down, "Someone reported me for what we did."

"I'm sorry." She said. Her hand gripped his harder as she felt another contraction coming. This one was stronger than the others had been and she forgot the conversation in lieu of concentrating on what her body was doing. He pulled her tightly against his chest, kissing the top of her head. Her voice was a whisper when she spoke once more. "Then I found out who you were and I couldn't tell anyone. How could I tell anyone what we'd done? So I pretended it wasn't happening. Almost fooled myself as well sometimes. Until tonight."

"When did this start, Lauren?"

"A few hours ago." She breathed. "Mum and dad are away overnight with Abi and Oscar. It's too soon, Joey. This shouldn't be happening yet." Her voice was bordering on hysterical by this point.

"Have you called an ambulance?" he asked her.

"No." She whispered. "I've left it too late. They won't get here in time now anyway."

"I really think I should call them, babe. You haven't seen a doctor at all through the pregnancy, have you? What if something is wrong?"

"Don't say that..." she whispered, her eyes filling with tears again at the thought of losing her child. Another contraction hit and she pushed again. With each one she could feel the baby moving further down. She looked at Joey and saw him moving the phone to his ear, "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Ambulance please..." he said when it was answered, "My girlfriend is in labour." He paused, "She's not due yet. It's early." He stared at Lauren as the person at the other end of the line spoke to him, "Hang on... let me explain to her." He put the phone down on the couch and turned his attention to Lauren. "She wants me to look and see how you're doing." He told her gently. Lauren began to sob at his words, suddenly wishing this was all over. She nodded at him once and he helped her move so she was lying on the floor. She watched his face, seeing an expression of awe wash over it as he took in what he was seeing. "I can see the head," he said to the phone which was now on speaker. Lauren didn't listen to the response, she was taking in the strength of his face as he sat before her. He reached for her face, his hand brushing across her cheek and drawing her attention back to him. "On the next contraction, the head will be out, Lauren. You'll need to stop pushing once that happens. I've got to check and make sure the cord isn't in the way."

"It's coming..." she told him softly, gripping his hand tightly as she bore down and began to push.

"That's it, babe." He encouraged her. Lauren let out a scream as the pain intensified. "Stop now, Lauren. Just for a few seconds."

"It hurts, Joey."

"I know, honey, I know." He fell silent as he followed the instructions he'd previously been given, "There's no cord," he called out to the voice on the other end of the phone.

"On the next push, your baby will be born," the voice said gently. "You'll need to leave the umbilical cord attached until the ambulance arrives. It should be with you within the next couple of minutes."

"Joey..." Lauren whispered. The contraction hit and the baby's body was pushed from her into its father's hands.

"It's a boy..." he whispered as he lifted him carefully. He passed him to Lauren, laying him on her chest. Lauren stared at him in wonder. Her child. Their child. Her finger touched his tiny hand, counting the fingers and coming back with four. She repeated this on his other hand and both feet, finding him to be perfect.

There was a knock on the door and Joey left quickly to open it. Two paramedics were soon surrounding her and they checked over the baby and Lauren before helping Joey cut the cord. Lauren was keen to stay at home but Joey managed to talk her into going to the hospital and getting her and their son checked out.

Lauren was loaded onto a stretcher and taken out to the awaiting ambulance. Some residents of the square were waiting in the street, having seen the flashing lights. Joey followed behind them, his son in his arms and as he climbed into the vehicle with her, they heard a gasp from some of those gathered.

*JL*JL*

Lauren sat in the bed, holding her son in her arms. She was staring at him in wonder, she couldn't take her eyes off him.

"Have you thought of a name?" Joey asked her as he gazed at both of them in awe.

Before she could answer, the door opened and her parents walked into the room, "Lauren?" Max said, shock clear in his voice.

"Dad... mum." She whispered.

"Darling, why didn't you tell us?" Tanya said as she stepped forward.

"I'm sorry," Lauren whispered, her composure disappearing as she looked at her mother. Tanya hugged her against her body as the tears began once more.

"Lauren, you could've told us." Max said gently once his daughter had calmed down.

"I was scared. At first I tried to pretend it wasn't happening. The longer I left it, the harder it was to tell you."

"Can I hold him?" Tanya asked gently. Lauren passed her son to her and watched as Tanya stared down at him.

"You should've said something to your mum when you spoke to her earlier."

"I didn't know I was in labour, dad. It wasn't until later that I realised. He was early and I wasn't expecting it to happen yet."

Max looked at Joey, "Thank you for looking after her, Joey." He said, stepping forward and shook his hand. Joey looked at Lauren and Max didn't miss it. "What?" he asked.

"I..." he began but stopped because he wasn't sure how to tell him.

"Dad, Joey's the father." Lauren whispered, her voice barely audible.

"But you're cousins..." he shouted, causing his grandson to wake and begin to cry.

Lauren reached for her son and took him back into her arms, jostling him slightly in her arms to try and calm him, "We didn't know, Dad."

Max stopped and stared at his daughter. "Explain it to me." Both of the youngsters remained quiet, "NOW!"

Lauren started, "It was eight months ago, before Joey came to the square. I'd gone to a club with the others and Joey was one of the bar men. As soon as I saw him I liked him, dad. It was like I couldn't fight it. We ended up together and it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. Then he was gone... we didn't even know each other's names." She saw her dad frown, "Okay, it wasn't out finest moment but I had no idea what was going to happen."

"Do you make a habit of taking advantage of young girls who frequent the places you work?" Max accused his nephew. "Without even finding out her name."

"NO!" Joey said sharply. "It had never happened before and it hasn't since. Like Lauren said, there was this attraction between us, I can't even begin to explain it."

"You should've told us when you found out," Max said to him.

"I only found out tonight." He said, looking at Lauren and his son.

Max crouched beside the bed so he could see his daughter. "Explain this to me, Lauren because I don't understand why you didn't say anything."

"I realised about two months after it happened and I went back to the club to see if I could find him. I wanted to tell him. He deserved to know. He wasn't there though. I tried four or five times to find him but I never did." She leant down and kissed her son on his forehead. "I was scared and I was alone so I ignored it. I hoped it would go away." She looked at her parents, "I know it was stupid and that was never going to happen but I wasn't really thinking logically. Then when I was five months pregnant, Joey arrived on the square and I found out who he was. I felt sick when I realised we were related and we'd had sex. Suddenly it became much more frightening. At first I didn't think he'd recognised me but then I knew he did and so I ran." A tear ran down her face and she felt Joey sit on the edge of the bed and put his arm around her, "Since that day, I've avoided him. He wanted to discuss what had happened and I couldn't do it. I couldn't face the truth. And I was scared to tell you. Scared you'd think I was disgusting. Scared that if I told you you'd be so ashamed of what I'd done, you'd throw me out and then I'd truly be on my own. Then this evening, I realised I was in labour and the fear really kicked in. Joey had knocked on the door twice during the day, the second time was just as a contraction hit and I cried out in pain. I'm guessing he heard me through the door and he came into the house through the back and found me in the lounge. He called the ambulance and then delivered his son."

"So what happens now?" Joey asked after a couple of minute silence.

"What do you want to happen, Lauren?" Max asked.

Lauren stared at her dad, trying to work out what he would say to what she truly wanted. She realised she needed to start being honest with everyone. "I want to raise my son..." she whispered, "with his father." Joey squeezed her shoulder with his hand and his other hand joined hers, holding their son. "I'll understand if you'd rather we left the square, dad."

"That won't be necessary, Lauren." Tanya said.

"Your mother's right," Max said. He stared at the three of them, "So can I hold my grandson?" he asked.

Lauren passed him to her father and watched as he looked at him in fascination. "Would you like to know his name?" She asked softly. They all nodded, "I thought we could call him Bradley Maxwell Branning," She said, looking at Joey as she spoke.

"That sounds like a good name." He whispered, hugging her tenderly.

"Are you sure, Lauren?" Max said,

"Why shouldn't he be named after his uncle and granddad?" Lauren bit her lip, wondering if she'd made a mistake. Was her dad upset by what she'd said?

"I think your brother would've been very proud. I know I am." He looked at his grandson, "Welcome to the world Bradley Maxwell Branning." He said, a small smile on his face. He looked at his daughter, "You should get some rest," he told her, laying the baby back in the crib. He moved to his daughter and hugged her tightly, "We'll be back in the morning." He whispered to her before turning to his nephew, "Do you want a lift back to the square, Joey?"

"No, I think I'm going to stay here, if that's alright." He replied.

The grandparents left them and Joey turned down the lights so Lauren could get some sleep. She was laid in the bed but she couldn't sleep, "Do you want to talk?" she asked him quietly.

"It can wait till the morning." He said as he stared at her and brushed his fingers through her hair, trying to help her drop off to sleep.

"I'd rather do it now. I can't sleep anyway." Joey thought about it and then nodded. "Can you sit with me?" she asked him softly. She shifted over in the bed and Joey say next to her, pulling her against him. They sat in silence for quite a while.

"Shall I start?" He eventually said.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I guess I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything that's happened."

"It's okay, you've been through a lot." He kissed her forehead, leaving his lips pressed against her skin. "That night, in the club, was special to me. I've never met anyone quite like you, Lauren Branning."

"That's me, one of a kind." She chuckled, her cheeks tinged with red.

"I wanted to stay with you so much that night and if I'd known I was going to lose my job anyway, I would've done. You intrigued me. You excited me. And the sex was amazing."

"I felt the same. I still do."

"When I saw you in the square and Lucy told me your name, I understood your reaction. I was confused about how I felt but after a couple of days I realised I just didn't care about the fact we were related. I wanted to be with you... more than I've ever wanted anything. It was never my intention to stay, I was just coming to get Alice, to take her home. Then I saw you and I couldn't leave."

"I'm sorry I avoided you." She whispered.

"It's okay. I can understand that you must've been very confused. Your hormones would've been all over the place because of the baby on top of that." He paused, "How did you manage to hide it from everyone?"

"It wasn't that difficult really. I wore baggy clothes all of the time. I didn't see anyone, I just stayed in the house so I only had to hide it from the family. I also didn't get that big fortunately."

So are you open to us trying this out? Being together, I mean."

"I think I need a reminder of what I've been missing." She told him with a giggle.

"That can be arranged..." he said back to her and then leant forward and kissed her gently. It was like going back in time. All the passion from that one night returned and they both gasped. Joey groaned into her mouth before tearing away from her, "We need to stop before I start something I can't finish." He laid on his back, pulling her against him, his hands brushing gently through her long thick hair. "I'm sorry you had to go through it all on your own," he whispered to her. "I wish I'd known."

"It's okay. It's not your fault." She kissed him softly on the neck, "I'm sorry I kept pushing you away and I'm glad you didn't give up on me today. More than anything I'm glad you were there when I needed you. I don't think I could've done that on my own."

Shortly after that they both fell asleep. A nurse came in a little while later and found the two of them lying on the bed. Joey was wrapped around Lauren, protecting her from everything. The nurse smiled as she saw the looks on their faces and left them there.

After a couple of hours, Bradley woke them, needing a feed. A nurse helped show Lauren how to feed him and both took to it very well. Joey watched in fascination. He'd expected Lauren to struggle with motherhood but she seemed to be coping with it very well. She was a natural at this.

The nurse left them alone and Lauren caught Joey watching her feeding Bradley, "Jealous?" she teased him.

"More than you'll ever know." He murmured. "Do you know how beautiful you look when you're doing that?"

"Looking at your face, I can pretty much guess."

"Hey, I'm a healthy young man, these things are on my mind a lot." He smirked at her.

"Yeah, well just as long as you only keep thinking about it. It's going to be a while before we go there again." She looked at his face and laughed when she saw the look of disappointment flash over his face, "Joey, I've just pushed a six pound baby from my body, without any drugs might I add, if you really think I've the slightest interest in having sex with you now, you're mistaken."

"I know." He said. "It's just been a while." He kissed her gently on the temple, "And the sex was amazing."

"Joey..."

"Okay, okay." Bradley pulled away from Lauren and Joey lifted him from her arms and placed him on his shoulder and began to wind him, "I'm obviously just going to be having a few cold showers." He said to his son as he walked around the room.

"Joey..." Lauren said, a blush staining her cheeks and chest.

"What?"

"Just because we can't have sex, doesn't mean we can't do other things." She whispered to him.

He stopped walking and spun round to face her, "Seriously?"

"Yes." She pulled her top back into place, "but not until we're home and settled a bit. Till then you're going to have to do what you need for yourself." She lay on her side, her back to him and smiled as she heard him complaining to their son about the unfairness of it all.

TBC

**A/N2: ****This is not something I've really done before so I'd be interested in hearing what you think.** **The next (and final) part will be posted tomorrow. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So here is the second part of the story. Thanks again to anyone who reviewed this so far. I hope you like this story.  
**

**Chapter Two.**

The car pulled up outside 5 Albert Square a couple of days after Bradley had been born and Lauren bit her lip as she saw several people staring in their direction. Her door opened and there was Joey, offering her his hand. She turned slightly and unclipped the car seat from the car. She couldn't believe her parents had gone and brought so many baby things for her and Joey to use. Not that they didn't need everything but still...

She took Joey's hand and he helped her out of the car. She turned and lifted the car seat from the back of the car and the slight movement caused Bradley to wake up, letting out a cry at being disturbed. The noise he made caused several people to turn and look in their direction. "Ssshhh," she said, a finger brushing the side of his face to soothe him.

"Come on, baby, let's get the both of you inside." Joey said.

As they walked towards the house from the car Lauren looked around and she saw Lucy and Whitney standing just down the road. She didn't know what to say to them, it had been a while since she'd really spoken to them and she knew a lot of that was her fault. She knew they were watching her and they were probably surprised by what was going on.

Joey helped her up the steps to the front door and held open the door for her. Just before she walked into the house, he pulled her against him and kissed her on the mouth, fire igniting through them both as it did each time they kissed. Lauren was a little worried that people would see but at the same time she was thrilled at the brazenness of it all.

Joey smiled at her as he lazily pulled away from her, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "I love you," she whispered to him. He positively beamed at her, hearing those three small words from her made his day.

When they entered the lounge they found their family gathered around the room. Lauren was pleased to see them but at the same time overwhelmed to see everyone all at once. She decided she was just going to focus on her son for the time being, everything else would take care of itself. Joey helped her sit on the couch and once she was seated she unbuckled the car seat and lifted Bradley from it and held him in her arms.

He seemed to have changed so much since the last time she'd been in this room with him. He was beautiful. His hair was really dark and she could see he had Joey's eyes. He had her mouth though which made her smile. He was like a perfect fusion of the two of them and that was just what she wanted.

"How are you feeling, Lauren?" Jack said, crouching down in front of her and looking at her child.

"Great, Uncle Jack." She said, a smile growing on her face as she continued to stare at her son.

"You have no idea what I was thinking when I saw you being carried out on that stretcher, Lauren." He said to her softly.

"Thanks for calling mum and dad." She said, glancing up at her uncle.

Bradley stirred in her arms and they both turned their attention to him, "He's beautiful, Lauren."

"I know." She whispered.

"Lauren, if you're ever in a situation where you can't talk to your mum or dad about something, please know you can always come and talk to me. I'll never judge you. I swear to you."

"I don't plan in being in a situation like that again, Uncle Jack, but I'll bear it in mind."

He brushed his hand over the top of her head and got to his feet. As soon as he disappeared, Abi was there. "Can I see him?" She asked excitedly.

"Course you can." Lauren said, "Do you want to hold him?" Abi's face lit up and Bradley was passed to her.

"Weren't you scared?" Abi asked after a couple of minutes of staring at her nephew. She glanced up at her sister's face.

"More than I knew I could be." Lauren whispered.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't know how to, Abs. I was so confused and I felt like everything was out of control." Lauren bit her lip, "I was scared that if I told, that I'd really be on my own." Tears fell down her face and Joey didn't miss their appearance, moving to her side and hugging her to him.

"Don't cry." He whispered.

"I'm being silly." She murmured.

"No you're not."

"I am. I shouldn't be thinking about the past, I need to think about the future. Our future." She said.

"Lauren..." Abi suddenly said. "Uh, you can have him back now."

"Abs?"

Abi blushed and refused to look at her sister, "He smells a little."

"I'll do it." Joey said, taking him from Abi and leaving the room.

The doorbell rang and Abi went to answer it. It wasn't long before Lauren's friends came into the room, surrounding her and making her feel very self-conscious. "Pregnant, Lauren?" Lucy said after a few minutes of pleasantries.

"Lucy..." Whitney said sharply. She turned to her friend, "I think it's amazing, Lauren. I'm so happy for you."

"I can't believe you got pregnant and didn't tell anyone." Lucy said again.

"You mean, instead of sneaking off and having an abortion but pretending it was a miscarriage?" Lauren said, Lucy's vicious streak bringing out the worst in her. "This was why I didn't tell you." She said. "I don't need you judging me. You're my friends, there are going to be plenty of other people round here who'll judge me without you doing it too."

"I think it might be best if you go..." Joey was standing in the doorway, holding a sleeping Bradley in his arms.

"Oh, if it isn't daddy dearest," Lucy sneered.

"Lucy..." Whitney said.

"Do you not realise how sick the two of you are?"

"Lucy!" Bianca said as she stood behind the girls. "I agree with Joey. It's time you left, Lucy."

"You can't make me go." Lucy said stubbornly.

"No but I can," Max said as he stood on the other side of Joey. "We don't need your attitude here, Lucy, so I'd like you to leave." Lucy stared at him, "Now!"

Lucy stood and swept from the room. Lauren sat in shock as the last few minutes sank in. "Lauren..." Joey said as he sat next to her. "Don't take any notice of what she said, babe." He hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. Lauren leaned on his chest staring at her son, unable to stop the silent tears from running down her face. Joey noticed but said nothing. He glanced at her father and Max seemed to pick up what was needed.

"Right guys, I think it might be time we leave the new parents be, let them get settled back in. I'm sure you'll all get a chance to hold Bradley over the next week or so. Let's go to the Vic and wet the baby's head."

They all left the room, just Joey, Bradley and Lauren remaining in the lounge. Once it was just the three of them Lauren dissolved into tears and Joey tightened his grip on her body. "Do you want to go upstairs?" he asked her softly.

"I just want us to be happy." She whispered.

"Let's go up to our room." He said to her softly.

"Our room?"

"Your parents have been sorting some things out while you were in the hospital." He got to his feet and held a hand out towards her. "Come on."

He walked up the stairs and then pushed the door open to her old room. The room was now set up as a nursery/bedroom. There was a double bed that caused Lauren to blush, a crib and a rocking chair in the room along with cupboards and a wardrobe. "Where's Abi going to sleep?"

"She's staying with your nan for a few days until things are sorted out."

"She's left the house?" Lauren said, getting upset again.

"It's just for a few days."

"I don't understand..."

"Abi's getting Oscar's room. He's going in with your parents for the time being and they're going to sort out some more usable space in the house that they'll be able to change into a room for Oscar."

*JL*JL*

Bradley was sleeping in his crib and Lauren and Joey were lying on their bed. "I love you, Lauren Branning."

"I love you too." She murmured.

Joey pushed himself up so he could lean on his elbow and stare down at his girlfriend. "I never thought that one day I'd be a father."

"Do you regret it?"

"God, no." He told her gently. "I don't know what I was expecting when I walked into your lounge the other night." Lauren moved closer to him, "I had no idea you were pregnant but when I walked in and I saw you, I knew I was where I needed to be."

"You never even asked if he was yours..." she whispered.

"I know you, Lauren. Alright I don't know you as well as I'd like to but I knew he was mine because I'd seen how you'd reacted to me since I came to the square. I knew you weren't that kind of girl. It never crossed my mind to doubt he was mine. Looking at him now, he looks like me and you."

"Weren't you scared when you found me that night?"

"Yes but it wouldn't have been any benefit to you for me to show that."

"You gave me the strength I needed when I had so little left." She breathed.

"I was worried when I first saw you. I had no idea what to do to help you. It's one of the reasons I called the ambulance. I couldn't do it on my own and I needed to make sure you were okay and looked after. That our child was okay." His hand brushed under her top, his fingertips grazing the soft skin beneath and coming to rest on where their child had formed. "When I saw the head appearing, it was as if everything in the world suddenly made sense. I guess that sounds soppy."

"It doesn't, Joey. It sounds just like how I feel."

"When he was born and I held him in my hands before passing him to you, I wanted you to know how much I love you. I wanted to be able to tell you how I felt but I was scared. I was worried you'd push me away. That I'd lose both of you."

"I'd never keep you out of Bradley's life, Joey." She whispered. "I'm not sure I could keep you out of my life either. I know there's still a lot we need to learn about each other and I'm sure we'll face plenty of hurdles but I can't see a future where I'm not with you."

"That's good to know, baby." He kissed her gently. "I wish I could show you how much I love you right now..." he murmured into her ear as he pressed a kiss against her skin.

"Joey, I'm sure we've had this discussion already." She stared into his eyes, "Anyway, we're supposed to avoid anything like that until he's at least six weeks old." He pouted and she lifted her head so she could kiss him. "It's nice to know you find me desirable though."

"Now you're teasing me..." he whispered, his mouth meeting hers in a heated kiss.

"Sorry." She said in a whisper.

"It's okay." He kissed her again, the passion building between them, the months of abstinence between them climbing to a crescendo.

Bradley began to cry, or scream actually, and Lauren chuckled, "Saved by the baby." She said as she pushed herself from the bed and walked over to the crib. She picked him up, "It's okay, mummy's here." She said to him as she pulled him against her body. She rocked him in her arms as she moved around the room, talking to him softly in an effort to calm him.

Joey watched her as he lay on their bed. She was stunning. She was magnificent. She was his. "Lauren..." he said, startling her slightly.

"Yeah...?"

"Marry me." His words took him by surprise as much they did her but he meant it, with his whole heart.

"Joey, we barely know each other." She giggled, not realising how serious he was. He froze when he saw her laugh. He thought she'd know how he felt. He thought she felt the same way. Joey got to his feet, stumbling blindly to the door and jogging down the stairs. "Joey?!" She called after him. He grabbed his coat and walked out of the front door, letting it slam shut behind him, ignoring her calls for him. "Joey..." she whispered.

*JL*JL*

It was dark when he walked back into the house and the house was quiet. He walked to the bottom of the stairs, "You're out late, Joey." He stopped and turned, finding his uncle standing in front of him.

"I needed some time to think."

"I think we need to have a chat, son." Joey stared at him, "Look, Joey, when we got home tonight Lauren was upset. Actually devastated is a better way to describe it. So, as her father, I need to have a talk with you." Joey followed him into the lounge, standing in the middle of the room while Max shut the door. "What happened tonight?"

"I needed to think about a few things." He replied evasively.

"So you walked out?"

"It wasn't like that..."

"Tell me what it was like."

Joey turned and moved towards the couch. He stopped when an image of Lauren kneeling in front of it appeared in his mind, "When I walked into this room three days ago, I wasn't expecting to find what I did. I just wanted to talk to her and clear the air." He sighed, "I guess a part of me was even prepared for her to push me away, although I hoped she wouldn't. The last thing I thought I'd find was her about to have my child." He wrapped his arms around his body and stared at the floor where Lauren had been lying as she gave birth. "I had no clue about what I was doing but I knew she needed me. My child needed me so I stepped up and I helped her."

"Where's all this going, Joey?"

"Do you think she wants me?"

"My daughter has been happier in the past few days than she's been the rest of her life. That is because of two things. You and Bradley. Don't sell yourself short, Joey. She loves you. She wants you."

"She pushed me away."

"When?"

"I asked her to marry me." He clenched his fist as he thought about her reaction. "She laughed."

"Joey, I don't think it was like that. I know my daughter. If she didn't want to marry you she would straight out tell you to your face." He moved closer to his nephew, "Do you think maybe she didn't realise you were serious?" He saw Joey relax a little, "Your relationship is still very new and, although you have a son together, you've not been together for long. It's a bit early to be rushing into something like marriage." Joey looked at him, "Believe me, it would be a real mistake for the two of you to get married because of Bradley. I did that myself, with my son Bradley and it just ended up hurting everyone. Don't make the same mistakes I did, Joey. That's the last thing I want for either of you."

"I wasn't suggesting we did it tomorrow."

"I'm sure you weren't. I just think you need to take a few steps back in this. You've skipped several stages of your relationship. Tanya and I are more than happy to babysit if you want to take Lauren out."

"I haven't changed my mind. I still want to marry her."

"I'm not expecting you to change your mind. I'm just saying don't rush into this. Get to know her. It's about time my daughter had someone who loves her and cares for her. Show her that person is you. It's all she wants from you. Well, that and being a good father to Bradley."

Joey stared at his uncle and then nodded. In his heart he knew Max was right. They did need to get to know each other. "Can I go upstairs or should I sleep on the couch?"

"I'm sure she'll want you up there with her." Max said with a smile.

"Night Uncle Max."

*JL*JL*

Joey pushed open the door and inhaled sharply as he saw Lauren sitting in the rocking chair, feeding Bradley again. She looked up as she heard the door open and he saw her face light up when she saw him. "I'm sorry for running..." he told her softly.

"It's okay." She said, as she looked back at Bradley.

"No, it's not." He said. He walked over to her and crouched beside the rocking chair.

"Joey, I've spent the last three months running away from you, it would be a bit hypocritical for me to hold it against you when you do it too." She smiled at him calmly, "Maybe it's a Branning thing." She said cheekily.

"Has he been okay?" Joey asked her.

"He's fine. He's just been sleeping and eating. Oh, and pooping." Her face screwed up at her last remark.

Joey smiled, "Guess I'm on nappy duty tomorrow then... to make up for it."

"You know I'm going to hold you to that, don't you."

"Good." He smiled at her. "Do you need me to do anything?"

"I left a glass of water over by the bed. Can you pass it to me?"

"Sure." He turned and walked over to the bed.

"I was going to say yes." She whispered.

He stopped walking, frozen to the spot. Had he heard her correctly? "You were?" His voice was nowhere near as strong as he'd hoped it would be.

"Yep." She whispered.

He picked up the glass and walked back to her, passing it to her, looking at her face. "I'll bear that in mind... for future reference."

"Good." She said, smiling down at her son as she continued to feed him.

*JL*JL*

The sun was shining and all Lauren wanted to do was smile. "Knock, knock." She turned to face the open and saw her dad standing there. "You look beautiful, babe." He said.

"Thanks dad."

Max smiled at his daughter and walked into the room. "It's nearly time to go."

"I know." She said, smiling still.

"You're sure about this aren't you, Lauren. It's not too late to change your mind."

"It's what I want, dad."

"I know." He stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead, "I just wanted to make sure."

"Let's go then..." she said, picking up the bottom of the skirt of her dress and moving gracefully towards the door.

"You know, I'm not sure I'm ready to do this." He admitted to his eldest daughter.

"Do what?"

"Give you to Joey."

"Don't be silly. I'm still going to be your little girl, dad. You just get a new Joey sized son as part of the deal." She looked up at her father's deal, "It's like the ultimate, buy one get one free deal." She said with a wide grin.

"Believe me, Lauren, nothing about today is free." He said, but his words were softened with a smile. He watched as she moved through the door, dressed in a beautiful bridal gown that made her look like the princess she deserved to be. He followed behind her, his hands on her shoulders to make sure she didn't trip. Abi and Alice were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, both dressed in bridesmaid gowns and looking almost as good as the bride.

"Here's the bouquet." Alice said, passing it to Lauren.

The cars were outside of the house and soon they were driving towards the church. Lauren clutched her dad's hand the closer they got. "You still okay?" he asked her softly.

"Yeah," she said, "Just excited."

Max smiled and looked outside the car as they drove along. He helped her from the car once they were there and waited while Abi and Alice straightened the dress out for her. Abi and Alice went to the entrance of the church and waited for the two of them. "I'm proud of you, Lauren. For the way you've handled motherhood and being with Joey."

"It wasn't just me, dad."

"I know. It doesn't change the fact I'm glad you have got the opportunity to be happy with Joey. I know it hasn't been easy since Bradley was born, that some people have made things difficult for you but I'm glad you both were there for each other and that you are taking this step."

"Thanks dad."

It was time and they began to walk towards Lauren's future. Everyone turned to stare as father and daughter made their way down the aisle. Lauren's complete focus was on the two people awaiting her. One was the god from that one night, the man who made her happier than she'd realised it was possible to be. And the sex was amazing.

The other person was their son. At nearly ten months old he was looking more and more like his father as the days passed. Joey was holding him in his arms and she could see he was wearing a suit that matched his father's but he had a smile on his face that, no doubt, would make it obvious who was his mother.

As they reached the top of the aisle Bradley reached out towards her and she took his hand. "Mama." He said excitedly and she gazed at him in wonder. He'd never said that before and she looked at Joey in surprise.

"Something we've been working on." Joey explained.

At the sound of his voice Bradley turned to him, "Dada." He said, clapping his hands together. There were chuckles from those in attendance.

"Good job, baby boy." Joey said. He turned to his sister and passed his son to her, brushing his hand through his dark hair before turning back to his bride. He stepped closer to her and took both her hands in his, "Hi." He said, smiling at her.

"Hi." She said back to him. "Shall we do this then?" she asked him quietly.

"There's nothing else I want to do." He replied, turning with her towards the front of the church. Lauren's smile grew and she blushed prettily because she knew that was a lie. He'd proved that repeatedly the night before when he'd sneaked back into their room. She looked down at the floor briefly, knowing what had led to the events of the night before. Maybe this time they'd have a girl...

**The End.**

**A/N2: So it got a little fluffy towards the end - which is a new thing for me - but it seemed to fit. What did you think? Let me know in a review. Anyway I'm off now to write another story. I seem to be on a roll a bit at the moment...  
**


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